Published: April 19, 2008 12:59 am            

HARTLAND: Junior firefighters promoting safety

HARTLAND — Decked out in their parade best, the teenage members of the Hartland Junior Firefighters gathered at the fire hall Tuesday to discuss their upcoming fundraiser.

The group is preparing for its first Junior Firefighter Safety Day, to be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m May 18 .

The event will include a car wash, a bake sale, a Chinese auction and other activities to raise money for a planned scholarship fund for the junior firefighters.

The Niagara County Sheriff’s Department will be on hand, along with representatives from neighboring fire departments. Parents can sign up for the sheriff’s department’s child ID program and have their child car seats inspected.

There will be a burn demonstration by Marty Phelps from 2 to 3 p.m.

If Mercy Flight is available, the helicopter will be on hand, as well.

Junior Firefighter advisers Leigh Ames and Pete Scarborough said the group hopes to make this an annual event.

Ames, who served as chief at Hartland for 14 years, was once a junior firefighter, himself. There are seven other volunteer firefighters at Hartland who were once juniors.

Right now, there are 16 members of the junior firefighters — the highest number since Ames was a member.

Junior firefighters must be at least 12 years old and live in the area. There are members from Hartland, Barker and adjacent districts.

In the program, they learn about firefighting skills from the volunteer firefighters. The group has monthly meetings, and members are encouraged to attend the fire company’s weekly drills, all within state regulations regarding their ages.

“We don’t let them get involved in live fire (and EMS) stuff,” Ames said. “We just feel we don’t want them exposed to that.”

The juniors are trained in EMS, however, including CPR and first aid, “things that they’ll be ready for when they turn 18,” Scarborough said.

They also help out around the fire hall, selling popcorn at bingo to raise money.

“We help out the firemen a lot, whatever they need done,” said Junior Firefighter Bryan Ames, 15.

The scholarship fund will help encourage junior firefighters to stick around after they graduate from high school, Scarborough said.

“One of the big problems we have in the fire service is a drop-off in our recruitment. It’s harder and harder to get people to come in, because the economy being what it is,” he said. “This program gets them interested at age 12, and then we bring them right through, and he’s almost ready to go when he gets to be 18 and joins the fire company.”

Anyone interested in joining the junior firefighters can call Ames at 735-9093, Scarborough at 735-7045 or the Hartland Fire Hall at 735-3283.

Contact reporter April Amadon at 439-9222, ext. 6251.

        

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